Techish

Plugged-In Families: How to Create Healthier Tech Habits

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Today's kids are totally connected — to surfing, scrolling, snapping, gaming and ‘gramming. According to new Pew Reseach, 95% of teens have access to a smartphone and 45% say they are online 'almost constantly.’  Stats like those give way to rising concern over the addictiveness of constantly checking for social media updates, watching videos and playing games. Some studies tie extended screen time to distraction in classrooms, symptoms of ADHA, sleep deprivation and depression. But what we’ve learned as digital parenting evolves is that the challenge is less about how much screen time our kids have and more about the quality of time they spend online. Research also shows that when you ... Read more

Going, Going, Gone? Can the Oculus Go VR Headset really hit a home run?

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No matter how excited I get with VR -- peering over the edge of a skyscraper, staring a T-Rex in the eye, or swimming with Blue whales -- the emerging tech still hasn't reached its stride. That might all change very soon with the arrival of the much-anticipated Oculus Go. This new headset, which went on sale Tuesday, strikes a serious sweet-spot. It costs just $200. It has no cables. It’s easy to use. It works for iPhone people and Android people, Mac people and PC people. It's like the Switzerland of new gadgets. And as other reviewers point out, it’s for more than just playing games. Call it Oculus and chill: The Go lets you curl up and watch TV virtually along with a faraway friend. ... Read more

JENN’S LIST: Best Gadgets of Spring 2018

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Spring has sprung, and now that the last remnants of winter have melted away it's time start 2018 for real. We're only four months into the year, but there are already some awesome new gadget trends starting to emerge. Oculus Go ($199) Oculus got off to a bit of a slow start with the Rift virtual reality headset, but it's hoping to make up a whole lot of ground with the all-new Oculus Go, a wireless VR gadget that you can take anywhere. It's an entirely standalone VR experience, meaning no messy wires and you don't need a pricey computer to attach it to, and at $199 it's a whole lot cheaper than most of the other virtual reality headsets out there. Developers have already been ... Read more

Think Twice Before Putting These 5 Things on Your Credit Card

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By Ismat Mangla While you can use a credit card to pay for just about anything, that doesn’t mean you should. Here are five purchases to keep away from the plastic, no matter how tempting those rewards points might be: 1. Your Taxes It’s tax season, and if you owe Uncle Sam money, you may be tempted to stick the bill on your Visa or Mastercard and call it a day. Resist the urge. Sure, it’s perfectly legal, but the IRS will charge you merchant processing fees for the transaction, typically anywhere between 1.8% and 2%. If you use third-party software to file your taxes, you’ll likely pay even more. What’s more, you don’t want to incur interest charges on your tax bill, which can ... Read more

High Tech Flu Fighters!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFVvd74nxlM NOTE: An edited version of this story originally ran in USA Today print and online: 2/19/18. Can the latest gadgets and apps help save us from this year’s killer flu? As one of the worst influenza outbreaks on record sweeps across America like a deadly virus from the movie Outbreak, that’s a question hundreds of scientists, inventors, and health officials are working feverishly to answer. While a handful of futuristic fixes are most certainly in the works — like a flu breathalyzer, far UVC flu-bug zapping light, and next-gen take home lab in a box — they’re not available yet. The good news? There are still a handful of high-tech flu-fighters ... Read more

GIFT GUIDE: These Valentine gifts will make him crazy happy!

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  1. Samsung Gear Sport Watch (Around $250) 2. HyperIce Vyper 2.0 Speed Vibrating Foam Roller for Muscles ($199): This is no wimpy massager. It's made tough enough for men, to work all the knots out for good! 3. IN1 Tool Black Phone Case Blue Tools (Around $10) 4. Arcade Classics - Pac-Man Retro Mini Arcade Game (Around $20) 5. Groove Ring ($30): I love these rings! Active people know that they can't perform if their gear doesn't keep them safe. Rock-climbers, riders, doctors, you name it, anyone who uses their hands a lot, wears these all the freaking time. Groove rings offer a soft and supple outer band. No metal. 6. DJI Mavic Air ($799): If you really love him, this ... Read more

GIFT GUIDE: Last minute gifts for WOMEN that she’ll love!

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If you like her, get her this. There's still time. Mostly. Well, okay, a photo with a nice card that it's on it's way at least. The app Giftagram can land an awesome present in her lap within a few quick minutes. You're welcome. Quick links to everything below! 1. Gorgeous Jewelry! (Starts at $78): Recycled Computer Parts! Dell and Nikki Reed created this beautiful new jewelry collection, dubbed “The Circular Collection” as part of their Legacy of Good Program. The artist used gold from recycled computer motherboards to create a beautiful jewelry collection that includes earrings, rings and cufflinks. The pricing for the jewelry line ranges from $78.00 to $348.00 and is available to ... Read more

HOW TO: Kick your smartphone addiction. It doesn’t even hurt.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN3A8jnRV6A THIS STORY ORIGINALLY WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FOR USA Today AND USATODAY.COM: My 16-year old daughter is infinitely better at all things tech than I am. Even disconnecting from it. While I was on a work trip last week, she created a "no-phone zone." When she comes home from track practice, she switches her phone into "do not disturb" mode, and sticks it in a drawer right by the front door. Out of sight, out of mind, for pretty much the entire school night from now on, she told me, and it’s already working wonders. She said it’s helped her concentrate on her homework more, focus on what she needs to get done every night, and best of all, ... Read more

GIFT GUIDE: GALENTINE’S Gifts for Awesome Women!

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I have so many badass, smart, strong, amazing women in my life. They are all ages, into all different sorts of things, and live all over the world. Here's what I'm giving them this Galentine's Day - hopefully to make them feel loved and EMPOWERED all year long! (Click on the link to buy or explore each item more, directly from this site.)** 1. INKBOX temporary tattoo ink ($30+): Real tattoos might be a little much my BFF and I, so I'm going with these instead: semi-permanent tattoos. Starting at $20, buy some freehand ink from Inkbox, and add some custom or DIY designs. These last for eight to 18 days. 2. You Matter Mug  ($22.95): Because you do, you know. Sweet sentiment for morning ... Read more

CES DAY FOUR: Talking to your toilet? Yep, the tech world is flush with new ideas:

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https://youtu.be/0ynS_oCp-6M Note: this story originally ran in USA Today print and online 1/11/2018. Do we really need an Alexa-powered toilet? Kitchen and bath products-maker Kohler thinks so, as well as a faucet and bathroom mirror and the list of Alexa-activated devices is even longer and weirder than that. How about an Alexa-powered dog collar or backyard umbrella? Amazon was expected to get its voice-activated digital assistant into all manner of Internet-connected gadgets at CES 2018, the big annual technology trade show that wrapped up in Las Vegas last week. And it didn't disappoint. The list of new devices powered by Alexa rose to 4,000, from over 1,000 brands. Not to be ... Read more

CES 2018: The strangest things you’ll soon control with your voice. Yes, a toilet!

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CES 2018 will go down as the year of voice-controlled-everythings. Alexa, Google, Siri — everywhere you turn — there’s some version of smart virtual voice assistant coming soon to a gadget near you. Some of it makes total sense. Amazon’s Echo and Google Home have been such big hits, of course we’re now seeing it come to every shape and size of smart home speaker and screen: Like Lenovo’s new Smart Display that gives Amazon’s Echo Show a run for its money And Hisense’s new H6 UHD TV. Jabra just launched a set of smart earbuds that you can talk to, which is totally natural as long as you don’t care if people think you’re talking to yourself. Cars? Why not? It’s hands-free ... Read more

#NEWYEAR: Tech Tested Hangover Cures: From Thrillist

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By Will Fulton, Thrillist: Alcohol does a lot of great things. It makes jokes funnier, worries less cumbersome, and your dance moves waaaay better. But when you overdo it, it's also really, really good at making you feel like crap. And while everybody has a go-to hangover cure, there's not a lot of evidence regarding what truly eradicates the aftermath of a really good night out. Until now. Over a two-month period, I decided to test 18 purported hangover cures for their validity in extinguishing the Sunday morning weirds -- all to ensure you don't suffer any more than you have to. Everyone's chemistry is different, so nothing can be 100% objective here, but a group of doctors has ... Read more

#METOO: Creator Tarana Burke Will drop the Times Square ball on New Year’s Eve

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From Mashable:Tarana Burke, the activist who created the "Me Too" campaign back in 2007, which recently inspired an online movement against sexual assault and harassment, is leading us all into 2018.Burke will be participating in New York's traditional New Year's Eve ceremony, according to a Monday press release. In honor of her efforts and social impact, she was chosen as the evening's special guest and will push the Waterford crystal button that drops the ball in Times Square starting the countdown to the new year.Seems like 2018 is already looking up. "I am delighted to be participating in this momentous occasion," Burke said in a statement. "I think it’s fitting to honor the Me Too ... Read more

GIFT GUIDE: The wild, wacky, unexpected gifts that will make Santa wish he was as cool as you:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzMpBTbCq-Y It’s that time of year again—time to pay homage to the wackiest, most wonderful, insanely useful, and just plain insane tech gadgets around. As you might know by now, I’m a huge fan of “unique” gifts. Lucky for all of us who appreciate the stranger things (and the Stranger Things) this year, the cray-cray cup runneth over. So, off we go. KURI-OUS? If you’ve been jonesing for a robot since the early Jetson days, Kuri ($799) delivers big time on cute and quirky, minus the ability to wash the windows and clean up after Astro. Kuri’s a robotic home companion that wanders around the house shooting short videos to send to you while you’re away, ... Read more